


Unexpected Expansion

by A Magiluna Stormwriter (ariestess)



Series: GQWeek2019 [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bisexual Female Character, Cursed Hyperion Heights (Once Upon a Time), Established Relationship, Evil Queen | Regina Mills as Roni, F/M, GQWeek19, Hyperion Heights (Once Upon a Time), Meet the Family, Mild Language, Roni's Bar (Once Upon a Time), Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold as Detective Weaver, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-07-10 06:28:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19901305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/pseuds/A%20Magiluna%20Stormwriter
Summary: "You deserve the chance to be a mother finally, Roni."





	Unexpected Expansion

**Author's Note:**

> Date Written: 17-21 July 2019  
> Word Count: 2301  
> Written for: GQ Week 2019  
> Prompt: Day 4 - GoldenQueen + Family Dynamics  
> Summary: "You deserve the chance to be a mother finally, Roni."  
> Spoilers: Canon divergent AU of S7 where Weaver and Roni have been having a sort of secret relationship in Hyperion Heights this whole time. Everything else we know about the characters is totally up for grabs. This particular fic takes place about 8 months after ep 07x01 "Hyperion Heights" and about 6 months after my previous fic "Boots".  
> Warnings: No standard warnings apply.  
> Website: ShatterStorm Productions – Doggie Duo  
> Link to: http://bdkk.shatterstorm.net/  
> Archive: ShatterStorm Productions & AO3 only…all others ask for permission & we'll see…  
> Feedback: Constructive criticism is always welcome.
> 
> Author’s Disclaimer: "Once Upon a Time," the characters, and situations depicted are the property of Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, Kitsis/Horowitz, and ABC Studios. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. This site is in no way affiliated with "Once Upon a Time," ABC, or any representatives of the actors.
> 
> Author’s Notes: So the idea behind this piece came from one of those "Give me a ship and I'll talk about their child(ren)" memes that I did back in January of this year. I came up with this idea of a foster child that ended up adopted, but the [original idea](https://curiouscat.me/ariestess69/post/767943106?t=1548227773) implied the child had been included in their family pre-S7. That didn't work here for this particular verse in practice, so I'm setting it about 6 months after everything already written. That way, they're still established, Rogers is now a detective, and the curse never gets broken. Young Ricky's lisp amuses me and makes my heart melt, so please just go with the weirdly spelled words for him.
> 
> Dedication: My muses, as usual…
> 
> Beta: So many thanks to Mimi for the quick glance at this fic.

She's just finishing the ordering when the text comes in.

_Can you leave the bar in Syl's hands and meet me at the station?_

Curiosity gets the better of her.

_It's Monday. When do you need me there?_

_As soon as you can easily pass off to Syl. Bring the backup HHPD sweatshirt I gave you and a handful of your cookies?_

Now she's definitely curious.

_Sure. I'll text you when I'm on my way._

_Thank you, Roni. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important._

It takes forever for Syl to show up for her shift to open the bar. Mondays are always quiet, which is why Roni chooses them as her guaranteed day off. She usually sticks to her loft or does her shopping on Mondays, so she's close by if Syl and Mari and the rest of the staff need her. But this request for _her_ hoodie and cookies has her completely baffled. If this is some game Daddy's playing, she'll obey him, but she might consider using her safeword to get a real answer out of him.

By the time the girls show up, she lets them know she's heading out and will have her phone if they need her. Once they're settled, she runs up to her loft to get the hoodie and cookies, then texts Weaver and heads out for the walk up to the station. It's an overcast day and she almost wishes she could be wearing the hoodie herself, but knows it's warm enough in the station for her to thaw out. If she's lucky, he'll give her a ride back to the bar after they're finished with whatever he has planned.

Stepping into the front entry of the station, she smiles at Sgt. Ryce. "Hey, Sam, Weaver said he needed me to come down. He in his office?"

Ryce frowns briefly, checks his list, then glances back toward the interrogation rooms before meeting her gaze again. "I don't know? I think he's got someone with him. Give me a sec to call and check?"

That sets the hairs on the back of her neck on end. What in the hell is going on? Sam Ryce is one of her favorite cops to frequent her bar off-duty, after Weaver and Rogers. She knows she can trust him not to fuck with her. Pulling out her phone while he makes a call, she sends a quick text to Weaver.

_What's going on? Ryce is all cagey with me asking if you're in your office._

Instead of a text reply, Roni hears Weaver's voice from down the hall. "For fuck's sake, Ryce! I told you she was coming down here today. Give her the damned visitor badge and let her come back here."

Ryce fumbles with the badge, and Roni briefly feels bad for him. She clips on the badge and stalks past the desk toward Weaver, who keeps looking back into the room he stepped out of. Without realizing it, she begins to chew on her bottom lip, curiosity and worry warring for dominance within her. She quirks a brow at him, unsure of his mood. When he smiles briefly into the room, then closes the door, she feels a strange energy radiating off of him. It almost feels like when he's in indulgent, nurturing Daddy mode. Normally that would ease her worry, but it's doing the exact opposite right now, as he guides her closer to him.

"I need your help, Roni," he says in a low voice. "I can't explain it all right now, but I need you to trust me and just go along with what I say when we step into this room, okay? I will owe you any favor you wish, no questions asked, if you'll do this for me."

"I…" She can see the crow's-feet made more prominent by his worry, but it's the earnestness in his eyes that pulls her in. "Of course." It takes everything in her to keep from uttering a soft _Daddy_ at the end of those words. "Whatever you need. You know that."

His bright, relieved smile is a balm to her soul. His equally soft _You are a godsend, girl_ is clearly intentional, as he _never_ flubs on what he calls her in a particular location. She half-wonders if he'd kiss her if they were somewhere less public. He opens the door then, and motions for her to precede him. Stepping into the room, Roni finds Rogers and a vaguely familiar African American woman sitting on either side of the sweetest little boy she's ever seen in her life. The riot of copper curls makes her fingers _itch_ to comb through them, but it's the ancient calm in those dark eyes that sucks her in. Those eyes go wide in fear for a handful of seconds before the boy relaxes again and scrambles out of the chair to race to Weaver's side.

"May-muth! You back!"

His lisp tugs at Roni's heart even more, but she's still not entirely sure what Weaver wants her to do here. The quirk of Rogers' brow makes her realize that he has no more clue that she does, and that worries her. She turns to look at Weaver, hoping for some insight, and sees him pick up the boy to settle on his hip.

"Of course, I'm back, Ricky," he says warmly with a smile that Roni's rarely seen him use before. "I promised you I would, and I never break a promise to you, do I?"

"Nuh-uh. Treat?" When Weaver cocks a brow, the little boy giggles bashfully behind his hand. "Pweathe?"

The low, amused chuckle would normally send a frisson of _want_ down her spine, but that doesn't happen this time, and it confuses Roni. Instead, she feels the need to protect the relationship between her partner and this little boy.

"I don't have your treat, Ricky, but my friend here does." Weaver nods his head toward Roni and she offers a soft smile to the boy. "Her name is Roni. If you ask her nicely, she might have some cookies for you."

"Hi there, Ricky," she says with a grin. "My name is Roni." The boy's shy smile and soft _Hi_ melts Roni's heart again, and she slowly holds out her hand. He hesitates briefly, glancing up at Weaver as if for confirmation that it's okay, then slaps her palm in a sideways high five. The move makes her laugh and lift her other hand with the baggie of cookies in it, hoodie still balanced across her arm. "I have these chocolate chip cookies that I baked, but I can't eat them. Do you know someone who might want to help me with that?"

"Dem yummy! I help pweathe?" He bats his lashes at her, and Roni is a goner. "I be good boy."

Roni moves to sit in a chair, so he can sit next to her, but Ricky reaches out for her before she can. Without thought, she takes him from Weaver and settles in a chair with him in her lap and sets the hoodie and cookies on the table. "You can have one for now, Ricky. You don't want an upset tummy from too many cookies, right?" She's not entirely sure what's going on, and can see the same confusion mirrored in the eyes of the three other adults in the room.

"I take it this is the woman you mentioned, Detective Weaver?" the other woman says.

"Yes, Marina, this is Roni Manzana." He turns to smile at Roni before continuing. "Roni, this is Marina du Mar, the social worker assigned to Ricky's case. I'm sure you'll become quite acquainted with each other over time." There's a look in his eyes that she recognizes, so simply nods along. His smile is grateful. "We all just want the best for young Ricky."

*****

By the time Rogers is ushering Marina du Mar out of the interrogation room, Ricky has finished his cookie and the rest of his juice box and snuggled into Roni's chest to drift off to sleep. Weaver stays with her, waiting to speak for nearly two minutes before shifting his chair slightly closer to hers.

"I promise I will explain everything, Roni," he says softly. "When Rogers comes back, I'm going to take you and Ricky back to the loft. I'll answer all of your questions then."

She nods and rubs Ricky's back when he mumbles and clings more tightly to her. "I gathered by all of your reactions that he's not this trusting of anyone?"

"Not exactly. Clearly you have something that comforts him."

"He's a sweet boy. I can't stop myself from wanting to protect him."

"Good. You keep that feeling as long as possible."

She frowns at his words, but the sudden reappearance by Rogers halts their conversation. Weaver steps out into the hallway with Rogers, leaving Roni with a sleeping Ricky in her arms. He's no newborn, like she'd expected all those years ago, but the toddler just feels _right_ in her lap. Without thought, she leans in to inhale that inherent scent that all babies and toddlers seem to exude from their pores, eyes closing as it calms her further.

"Roni?"

"Hmm?" she asks, blinking owlishly at him.

"Let me take Ricky and we'll head out to my car to get you both home."

She's reluctant to let him go, but knows Weaver's not going to hurt him either. The exchange goes smoothly and she gathers up the few things in the room that Weaver points out as his, as well as the cookies and hoodie. "Is this all of his belongings?"

"It's what he couldn't be parted from. The rest is already in my trunk or the backseat of my car, along with his car seat."

She nods and follows him out, noting that Ryce now won't even make eye contact with her. She can deal with that later. Right now, all that matters is getting Ricky home and into bed for a proper nap. Once Ricky is belted in and they're both in the car, she turns to study Weaver's face. "He needs a bed…" She's not even sure what to call him. He's almost always _Daddy_ when they're alone, occasionally Amos.

"You can call me Amos, Roni," he says softly. "It's all right. I know we have a lot of adjusting to do. And I'll find him a bed. Can you handle him sleeping in your bed for the time being?"

"I-I'll make do. Amos, what happened?"

"His mother was a longtime CI of mine. I kept trying to get Cindy off the streets and out from under her pimp's thumb, for her safety and Ricky's, but she never felt strong enough to stay away for long. There was some sort of altercation last night. One of Rogers' old beat partners was called to the scene of what was initially a domestic disturbance and ended up a homicide. Seems one of her pimp's other girls got jealous of Cindy's higher status, so rumors were spread, pimp caught wind, confronted Cindy last night and they fought. At some point in the fight, he got angry enough to… Well, suffice it to say, given the pimp in question, I'm pretty sure it was an accidental homicide that resulted in a suicide by cop. Rogers got called because the uniform was trying to get Ricky out of there, but he wouldn't leave and kept asking for Uncle Amos. Rogers called me and I went to get him out of there."

"What about his father? Other family?"

"None that we know of. Cindy never mentioned anyone. I knew Marina would be his social worker and I know the judge involved, so I pulled a few strings to make you and me his temporary foster parents while they try to follow protocols to find a blood relative."

Roni turns her head back to look at the sleeping Ricky. "And if they don't?"

"If they don't and he settles well with us, we'll start the process of adoption." Weaver stops for a red light and turns to look at her briefly. "If that's what you want, of course."

She stares at him for a long moment, taking in all this information, then shrugs. "Daddy, I don't want to get attached and have him taken away. I don't honestly think I could handle that."

"I know, and I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure he doesn't get taken away. Even if he has blood relatives, they don't know him and, more importantly, _he_ doesn't know _them_. It would be in his best interest to be with people he knows and trusts."

"You're sure--"

"There is nothing I wouldn't do to ensure that you two aren't separated if you truly want to keep him, Roni. I swear it in any capacity you want me to." He begins to drive again. "You deserve the chance to be a mother finally, Roni."

She nods slowly, then she realizes something. "If you and I are his foster parents, then that means there are people who know about our relationship, doesn't it?"

"Yes, and I trust them to only discuss what is necessary for Ricky's wellbeing." He offers her an encouraging smile. "I don't want you to worry about that though. You let me take care of those particulars. I want you to focus on forging a good relationship with Ricky, all right?" She nods, unable to get words out past the heart-shaped lump in her throat. "That's my girl."

The rest of the ride home is quiet, but Roni can feel a sense of pride at pleasing Daddy, but also feels a growing connection to Ricky. Maybe she's finally going to get that chance at a family after all.


End file.
